Good ECs but not quite T20-level ACT Scores; accepted to great schools already but wants to shoot for the stars [TX resident, 4.0 GPA, top 2% rank, 32 (33 superscore) ACT]

[txfriendly]

Agree that Plan II is a great admit, congratulations! I think the real standout element here is the welding; honestly, top schools have plenty of middle-class white applicants with very strong grades and 32 ACT, but hardly any are certified welders. It’s an unusual choice for a top student even in the context of his local school, and I can see an AO at one of the high reaches taking an interest in that.